The present invention relates to vehicle transporters, such as trucks, trailers, railcars and the like, which have a tie-down apparatus for securing a vehicle to the vehicle transporter.
Application Ser. No. 08/801,188 filed Feb. 18, 1997 is assigned to the assignee of the present application and is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Application Ser. No. 08/801,188 describes a tie-down system for a vehicle transporter that automatically equalizes the pull-down forces at all four points of securement of the vehicle, that allows the tension in the cables securing the vehicle to be adjusted simultaneously from one side of the vehicle transporter, that limits to a predetermined amount the pull-down force which may be applied to secure a vehicle, which does not cause deformation or wear of the cable due to repeated windings around a winch, and which does not require additional devices to longitudinally secure a vehicle regardless of its length. This application represents a significant advancement over the prior art. The embodiments shown, however, are not directly usable in conjunction with vehicle platforms which include a front deck and a rear deck and are longitudinally extensible or articulated for changing the angle at which a vehicle is retained. Even if adapted to be used with such a platform the tie-down system would have to be readjusted each time the length of the platform was changed.
What is, therefore, needed but not yet available is a vehicle tie-down system for use with an adjustable vehicle platform, wherein the vehicle platform may be adjusted without altering the tension of the vehicle tie-down system.